Roy Hodgson will follow in the footsteps of his predecessors here in Poland on Tuesday night.

For the England manager, the next 12 months will be defined by his next 90 minutes.

Beat Poland here to take command of Group H of European qualifying for the World Cup, then confirm that position in San Marino and then Montenegro in March's double header, and it will seem like plain sailing towards Brazil.

That will allow time for some no-pressure experiments in the FA’s 150th anniversary year, when England face the World Cup hosts twice, and also Scotland, the Republic of Ireland and, probably, Germany and Argentina.

Draw in Warsaw though, and a shadow of trepidation will overtake everything; the four matches next Autumn - pairs of back-to-back encounters in September and October - a lurking, ever-present concern.

And were the worst to happen, were Hodgson’s side to be conquered here, then the heat will be on, every time he calls together a squad - as it was for Steve McClaren after that debacle in Croatia at the very start of his short-lived tenure.

“You’re aware of the fact that, when you’re playing against your biggest rivals in the group, it adds that bit of spice,” said Hodgson.

“But I wouldn’t like to use the word ‘responsibility’. We feel a great deal of responsibility whenever we take part in an England game - as manager or captain. We feel the responsibility whoever the opposition to go out there and win it in the right way.

“People judge you when they want to judge you. I’ve always, as a manager or coach, been under the impression every time your team plays people will have opinions about how the team have played, or the way you’ve set it out.

“I’m more than happy with the response I’ve had so far.

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"They’ve committed 100% to what we’re trying to do. It’s for others to decide whether that’s good enough or not. I’m fully aware when the defeats come that criticism will be levelled against me and the team.”

So far, of course, Hodgson is unbeaten.

Extending that record on Tuesday night would certainly keep England in charge of their destiny.

Hodgson knows that plenty of other England managers have trod the same path to Poland.

Most have won, some have drawn. Only one of them - the greatest of the lot - tasted defeat.

The current Three Lions chief, though, is of a vintage to recall the end of Sir Alf Ramsey’s reign, even if it was the Wembley draw at the end of 1973, rather than the Katowice loss five months earlier, that proved fatal.

Ever since, over four decades, the concept of Poland, if not the reality of their national team, has been a ghost - a spectre - to chill English blood.

Hodgson recalled: “I remember Sir Alf was going into his 10th year as manager but that an ageing team who were unable to qualify in 1974.

Waldemar Fornali, who replaced Franciszek Smuda as Poland coach after their tame exit from a Euro they co-hosted, has struggled to get his players to accept a reversion to his preferred midfield quartet.

The ranks are querulous. Confidence is low.

Hodgson, though, knows it is up to his men to show they are strong enough, physically and mentally, to cope with the challenge they face.

He added: “We know we’ll face a very highly motivated team with a very vocal and enthusiastic support, because we are a scalp. Poland will be rubbing their hands with glee at this game because if they can win it’s a feather in their cap.

“We have to make sure we’re not the victims. When you play away, games can be more open - they have to come at us. Whereas at Wembley, teams stay disciplined and look to hit us on the counter-attack.

“So far, I’m pretty satisfied. We’re trying to sing off the same hymn sheet, working at aspects of our game, but it would be foolish to suggest we’re the finished article. Of course we’re not.

"We’re working. Every time we get to work together, I get the feeling we’re getting stronger.”

Poland v England: Three to watch

Lukasz Piszczek The Borussia Dortmund right-back is now one of the cornerstones of the Polish side as well. Tall and rangy, he is likely to get forward and be a back-post threat at set-pieces.

Ludovic Obraniak A French-born Bordeaux schemer, who played for Les Bleus at Under-21 level, who has been questioned by other squad members over his commitment to his parents' homeland. Red card in Montenegro initially brought a two-game ban but the suspension was cut to one so he is available.

Robert Lewandowski Dortmund striker was kept out by Joe Hart in the Champions League a fortnight ago, but only just. While he is losing popularity at home, he remains Poland's major attacking weapon. Knows he has chance to get Premier League clubs interested again.

Poland v England: Facts and stats

England are unbeaten in their last 14 games against Poland, winning nine and drawing five.

Four of the last six clashes between these sides in Poland have, however, ended drawn. England won the other two .

Roy Hodgson is only the second England manager to not lose any of his opening 10 matches outright. The first was Graham Taylor.

Excluding games at Euro 2012, Poland have won their last five home games and have kept seven consecutive clean sheets .

Tom Cleverley made 165 ball touches for England against San Marino in last Friday's win - the most ever recorded by a single player by OPTA.

Despite his omission against San Marino, Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott has still played more minutes of football for England under Hodgson than any other player (759) .

Excluding shootout defeats, England are unbeaten in 15 competitive internationals (W9 D6) - their last defeat was to Germany in the 2010 World Cup.

England haven’t lost a qualifying match since a 0-1 defeat in Ukraine in October 2009 (since then, their record is P12 W8 D4) .

Roy Hodgson’s men have converted a penalty in all three of their World Cup 2014 qualifiers so far - more than any other European side.

England are the only European side yet to be caught offside in World Cup qualifying.